(at the) Playgrounds Edge
by oneandninteenmore
Summary: 'It all started at the playgrounds edge, and in the years over the course of the 1990's it always seemed to come back there; still those two young boys at heart.' (A series of events and stories based around an AU! where Edd is adopted into Kevin's family, after both his parents died in a plane crash. They struggle with family issues, death and their feelings for each other.)


**Setting:** The year is 1996 and Kevin Walsh is a eighteen year old with what seems like a perfect life. A homemaker mother, who's as pleasant as a peach; a father who works hard and plays harder, and then there's himself who's captain of more sports than he can keep track of and everyone seems to love him. Oh but there's also his brother, now to most people it might be easy to forget that rather Gothic looking nerdy kid in Peach Creek High, but to Kevin he couldn't ever forget or get away from him if he tried. They soon realize that all the years leading up to this one have meant something, and with high school soon ending both boys are left to wonder about many things. Life, loss and _love_ included.**AN:**_ I really love the 90's era, plus I love the idea of this sort of Gothic Edd that just feels really 90's to me. I've got a ton of random little ideas here and there for this au. But mostly it's just about Kevin and Edd navigating through life and living with each other. For now we're just sort of starting off explaining things, and how they will eventually get to a point of becoming who they are, and liking each other. But eventually we'll get to 1996 where things really start to pick up lol.  
_

* * *

_The year was 1990_, and thirteen year old Kevin hadn't really expected to wake up one morning to find Double Dork sitting in _his_ living room, on his couch, next to _his_ parents. But to be quite truthful, he hadn't expected to see the dweeb at all that day, seeing as his dad had been promising for over a month to take him to the baseball game between the Yankees and the Red Sox.  
Donning a blue Yankees hat backwards, and number twenty one jersey as he practically ran down the stairs from his bedroom to the living room, the young boy found himself halting dead in his tracks. He couldn't really find the words that would fit his confusion, green eyes narrowing as he sputtered for a response (_for a change_)** "What the hell is dor-****_Edd_**** doing here?"** His mother of course had quickly muttered a _**"Language Kevin."**_ to her son, who briefly was careless with his chosen words. Kevin's father who looked less ready for a game than Kevin had ever seen him, eventually spoke up after Edd had sat there a bit solemnly for some time. **"He's going to be staying with us Kev, his parents are away and-"** Kevin for the first time in years cut the man off. **"Seriously?! But dad come on."** Groaning his frustrations out, clear as day that even Edd had noticed it, of course he just tried to smile and look ever polite regardless. Still the way Kevin looked at him, the way he always looked at him, had always caused a pang in his chest that he was fairly sure bordered on actual pain.

**"Since when did you start acting like this ****_Kevin James Walsh_****, you've known Eddward since you were in diapers."** Kevin's mother started to chide him, raising an accusing finger as his father moved a calloused hand up to the bridge of his long nose. The man had always been prone to headaches when any sign of a bad argument came on, his wife noticed it quickly; Kevin however ignored all signs.

**"Kevin, he's saying with us for awhile and that's that, end of story. I'm ****_serious_****." **

**"You're always serious, just like you were serious about taking me to the game today, and I bet you're not even gonna' do that hu? Like always so serious dad. Now I've got to live with this dorky loser, and everyone is going to give me crap."** Edd frowned as Kevin continued on and his father and mother tried to cut off their son in utter disbelief, his father's expression a mixture of disappointment and anger rolled into one look that caused a fist to slam down on the counter.  
**"Kevin, your room,****_ now_****. We'll discuss this later, and I swear if I hear another word that doesn't border on respect come out of that mouth you'll be cruisin' for a bruisin' ****_kiddo_****." ** Kevin all but glared at the dork on his couch, not really caring if he overreacted or not, selfishly upset at really far more than just something as simple as Edd being there; because when it came down to it, it wasn't about the other boy.

It was about the one day he'd been waiting to spend with the man he'd looked up to all his life, the one day when that man, his father would actually take a moment away from work and be there, not just for him playing sports; but something more. What Kevin wouldn't realize till later was that this would also be the one day that changed _everything_ in his life.  
It was also in that moment as Kevin ran upstairs to his room with the slam of a door, that Edd realized things were going to be different for him too, because what what both Edd and Kevin's parents had known that Kevin didn't, was that Edd wasn't going back home again; he was already there. It had taken everything in him not to break down then and there, to tell Kevin that he never forgot about the times their parents would bring them over for play dates growing up, and how close they'd once been, how close despite everything the older boy did he still forgave him. But mostly it took everything in Edd not to tell Kevin off and how at least his parents wern't _dead_.  
Still some part of Edd knew that wasn't fully fair, he may have only been twelve but there had been a point somewhere along the way he knew his parents wern't coming home ever again, and that the sticky notes had long since been in his home, and the calls had never been his mother or father but Kevin's checking up on him and talking with the lawyers over the living situation and the changes that would be happening soon.

His parents had left him in the care of Kevin's, if anything should happen to them, and seeing as an unforeseeable plane crash had- clearly this was the case now. Edd had never expected the other boy to take this all harsher than he had, he sort of assumed though once they hit puberty and they started to get into their on little groups, they had their differences sure, but never like this...but then again it would also seem that his former friends parents hadn't _exactly_ told him everything yet either. **"Eddward dear, I'm so sorry...I'll go talk to Kevin and we'll go get your things put away in the other room."** Edd sighed, picking up his things with a nod, looking back over at her as she just tried to smile at him like everything was going to be okay. She was so different from his own mother, who was hardly a homemaker and more like a woman with a mission. ('_Was_' he corrected himself mentally.)  
Edd still wasn't sure if that was something to admire or hate but either way it didn't matter now, still...Mrs. Walsh gave him the same look that everyone else had so far, and to be quite frank he wished they'd all stop. **"It's...it's alright I can talk to him, I'm sure he'd understand." **Kevin's father shook his head like he thought that would have been a bad idea, granted Edd thought it was too but he insisted on it, insisted on this.

**"Now I don't think that's a good idea-"** The man begin, standing up from the couch his stance sort of intimated Edd a bit, and in that moment as Kevin's towering man of a father stood before him, he really realized where the young boy got a lot of his mannerisms from. **"No no, please I insist, I do not wish to cause anymore trouble than I have."** Kevin's mother responded quickly, not even hesitating or missing a beat, blonde curly locks of hair falling into her face slightly but she brushed it all back. **"No honey, don't think that, you are most welcome here, Kevin's just going through a rough patch, and you are too. Everything is going to work out I promise. Let his dad go talk to him before you head on up there. In the mean time you can unpack and get ready for dinner. I'm making my famous chicken casserole, and we're all going to clear the air and get used to things changing around here for the better, right John?"** She cocked her head to the side, looking at her husband. John nodded, Edd was pretty sure it was hard not to agree with her if a man like Kevin's father seemingly so easily could.

**"Yes Mam'."** Edd replied, things just tended to get worse before they got better was all..._right?  
_

* * *

**"Kev...hey buddy you in here?"** Finally his father decided to show his face, of course he was in his room though, where else would be be? Clearly not spending time with his dad, clearly not having things suck major ass because double dork was here on _their_ day. **"Listen pal, I'm sorry I yelled at you alright?...and I'm sorry I things came up."**

**"Things come up a lot-"** The boy mumbled, his face pressed tightly against a pillow but his father heard him despite that.

**"I know they do, and they ****_shouldn't_****, things are going to change around here, and not just with that but everything. Kevin, come on talk to me son. We can't keep arguing like this, I'm your father."** Kevin turned his head around, the lanky frame he hadn't quite grown into yet twisting the other way on the bed, now he faced his dad. The green in his eyes hardly shimmered, and he more or less looked like he was about to cry; but the only thing holding him back was respect for himself. **"Then act like it dad, you're never home anymore, and then on the one day you say you're gonna' be you bail on me; and what's the deal with that dork anyway-"** Kevin wanted to scream, but he held it in, he had to be a man, he had to man up, because he just couldn't cry like that. Not in front of his dad at least. **"Kevin his parents died."**

**"I mean it's not like were even friends anym- ****_wait_****...what did you say?"** The boy sputtered, hands fisting the fabric of the bed sheets. He had to have not heard that correctly, right? Jesus no way he had to hear that wrong, why wouldn't he have found out sooner...

**"His parents died a few days ago in a plane crash on their way here son, your mother and I didn't know how to break it to you, and we didn't want to, or expect to do it like this...but he's staying with us, we've got the papers all filled out and we've adopted him. When I said things were going to change I didn't just mean with us...but things will change with us too, and I think it's going to be for the better."** His father never was good at all this emotional stuff, and neither was he. This was all so much to take in, and he wasn't sure if he should feel like the biggest jerk ever towards Edd or stay upset. He decided that he'd feel a bit of both, mostly because he couldn't help but feel both emotions.

**"I've got to be less selfish, and so do you buddy, and I promise we're going to help each other out and I'm going to be there. If you want to be hard on me then fine, just don't let you being mad at me effect you two. Just promise me that please Kev?"** Yeah sure his dad was trying to make things better...but he always did, that was the problem. To accept this and move on, or stay bitter? Was there a third option where he could do both? Yeah for now there was, and that's were he was at about this whole situation.

**"Yes Sir'"** He replied back a bit sarcastically with a sniffle.

**"Kevin-"** The older man warned, leaning against the door.

**"Scouts honor,_ I promise_."** And Kevin swore his fingers weren't even crossed.


End file.
